United We Stand
by NorthernStar
Summary: Sequel to "We Are Family." Isabelle Murdock is kidnapped...
1. One

Disclaimer: Hannibal, Face, Murdock, BA, Richter and the A Team are all property of Stephen J Cannell. No infringement is intended. This is strictly an amateur work meant for the enjoyment of the fans and no money has been made. Kim Tailor, Isabelle are my own characters, however, and are copyright me.

Rating: R. 

Notes: This story is a sequel to "We Are Family" and will make more sense if you have read that. However, I don't think its essential.

Words is someone speaking Vietnamese.

****

United We Stand

By

NorthernStar

Briggs licked his lips nervously as he watched the man in front of him. He knew Farrell's reputation, knew he had the Syndicate in his pocket. Although Briggs had done business with the Syndicate, he was yet to curry enough favour with them. This man was the key to achieving that. 

If he could just do as he was asked…but he wasn't a brave man. He was scared and the bastard in front of him knew it. Briggs could only hope to convince him to take another 'item' instead of the one he was asking for.

"An' then there's this one…"

"That is not the one I want." The Bastard said quietly, his eyes telling Briggs not to cross him.

Briggs swallowed and glanced at the Bastard's wife. She sat clutching her bag to her chest, her face place and drawn beneath a curtain of honey blonde hair.

"But…"

"THAT IS NOT THE ONE!" Briggs gave a cry as Farrell grabbed his shirt, "I have told you what I want and I was led to believe you could deliver!"

"Yes...yes I can, but this one…"

"Money is no object." The man let him go.

"Yes, you-you are very generous, but..."

"You would be wise not to cross me, Briggs." He said, "I have some influential friends, they recommended you in fact. They'd be most displeased to hear you let me down."

Briggs swallowed; he'd heard the rumours, of course and believed them but to actually hear Farrell threaten him with the Syndicate…He knew he was caught between a rock and a hard place but foolishly he decided to speak out. "Sir, this merchandise…it belongs to-"

"I KNOW WHO HAS THE GIRL!" He took hold of Brigg's shirt again, "you WILL bring her to me or I promise you, you will beg me for your own death."

****

Summer '92. LA

Murdock jumped out of the Cessna onto the hot tarmac. He preferred more agile craft, sleeker and a lot more powerful, the kind of thing he flew as a teen in the Thunderbirds, but he loved the Cessna for it's sentimental value. It represented many things, the most obvious being his mental healing.

And the most important; this was the only plane his late partner had ever flown. It was at the controls he'd fallen in love with her. And it was right here, standing at the door; she'd said those magical words when she'd kissed him goodbye. "_We'll miss you."_ He'd looked blankly at her a moment, "_we?"_ and she had touched her belly then laid a finger to her lips.

Speaking of we…

A nineteen-month old girl was holding her arms out for him to lift her out of the plane. Issie was a beautiful child, bright and happy, and you knew the moment you saw her big brown eyes that she was someone special.

He scooped his daughter up and swung her up onto his shoulders and began walking. He scanned the cars parked in the distance and frowned when he failed to see Face's. 

In the past few months, Face had begun to grow increasing restless with his role in the Murdock household. He was more reluctant to sit Issie and often stayed over at a girlfriend's house. In a way, Murdock understood Face's feelings and wanted to see him happy. In another he was angry, Issie loved her 'uncle' almost as a second father and his sudden disinterest affected her like an abandonment.

Murdock saw a flash of copper gold hair ahead of him. "Jen!"

The woman turned and broke into a grin when she saw who it was. "Hey, Murdock!" She waved at Issie, "hello, beautiful!"

Issie grinned and waved back.

Jen waited until Murdock had caught her up and then fell into step behind him, talking flight plans and other pilot stuff as they headed towards the car park. Jennifer Kinsolving or Kinnie as everyone else and that included her own mother called her, was one of his former students. She had natural talent in the air and it had come as no surprise to him that the airfield had offered her a job the moment she got her license.

"Haven't seen Face have you?" He asked suddenly.

Jen shrugged, "not since the other day." She looked up at Issie, knowing he and Face arranged their working days around the little girl so one of them was with her at all times. She admired them for that. Jen paused, wondering whether to say the next bit, "let you down again, huh?"

Murdock sighed, if the people he worked with had noticed… "Yeah."

"I…I guess I could have her for a few hours, I had fun last time."

Murdock hesitated a moment, she'd already helped out more times than he cared to admit but, on the other hand, he had a prospective student waiting.

"Murdock!"

He turned to the voice and saw Alice, Face's latest, rushing towards them. He liked her a lot; she was quieter and sweeter than the usual Face type. A little symptom of the effect Issie was having on her 'uncle'.

"Face got held up, he sent me to pick her up." Alice reached up for the girl. "He's really sorry."

"Yeah."

Alice probably heard the note of anger in his voice, but chose to forgive it. 

"I won't be long," Murdock said, "coupla hours."

"That's OK," she smiled, "We'll have fun, won't we, sweetie?"

*****

Face glanced back into the garden before stepping into the house. Isabelle sat at the edge of her sandpit, shovelling sand into a small bucket. He smiled at the look of intense concentration on her face and the happiness in her eyes. _Sometimes,_ he thought, _you look so much like your mommy_. At the memory of Kim, he felt a pang of the deep unending pain that was all he had left of her. Murdock at least had the comfort of knowing Kim's love, of the touching of their souls and of her gift of a child, Face had nothing but the hurt he kept hidden.

Alice came out of the kitchen carrying two cups of coffee. Face smiled at her. She was pretty and kind and happy and…she wasn't Kim. No matter what, that's what it always came down too.

Kim was the woman he would love to the grave and no one would ever take her place.

He let Alice take his hand and lead him into the house.

*****

Murdock shook the hand of his client; satisfied that he had another student. He hated having to spend even more time away from Isabelle but he needed the money; he was barely scrapping by on what he earned as it was. He'd only recently returned to teaching, having stopped working when Kim died to care for Issie. With the mortgage payments, the bills for the house, food and car as well as the usual baby expenses, the money he'd saved from the Team's jobs while on the run had dried up fairly quickly.

When Face had moved in, things had been easier. There was always someone around to look after Isabelle whenever he needed to go out. And when his savings had gone, it had been so easy to return to work. 

The result was that he'd relied on Face a little too much. Face, who had never known commitment all his life. Had spent much of his life running from it. It wasn't surprising he was starting to feel a little trapped. Murdock didn't blame Face for wanting to be free again, but he knew it would be tough without him.

He began walking toward his car. Kim's car. Despite it's age, he hadn't been able to part with it. She'd loved the little Beetle as much as BA loved his van. Kim and BA…the memory made him smile. BA had souped the Beetle up for her shortly before Isabelle was born, arguing, _"I ain't gonna 'low no pregnan' woman ta fix a car!"_

Wrapped in his thoughts, Murdock opened the car door and got in. As he started the engine something caught his eye. A figure stood by the road, tall and lanky, and he had a sudden flash of the familiar. Murdock frowned, he knew him from somewhere but then the feeling was gone and the man was a stranger again. 

A sense of déjà vu floated at the edges of his mind. He shivered with sudden cold as a sickness churned his stomach; he'd be having nightmares tonight.

*****

Briggs watched the blonde man leave his merchandise in the garden. He smiled, funny how the ones you thought would be hard usually turned out to be a walk over. Maybe the rumours about these guys were over-blown. 

He stayed where he was, waiting to see if the man returned. Anyone who didn't take care of their kid deserved to have 'em snatched. And the kids deserved to have decent parents. 

And, hey, if he made money out of it at the same time…well, everyone was happy, right?

He allowed ten minutes to past just to be on the safe side…

Then he stepped out of his car and walked towards the child.

*****

"Hello, little one."

Issie looked up at the grown-up who spoke. He loomed over her, much like BA did, but this man made her feel small and frightened. BA would never do that.

"All on your own?" He asked.

She looked around for Face but he wasn't in the garden. "Fays!" She told the stranger, pointing to the house. "Daddy." She said, shaking her head to indicate he wasn't home.

The man knelt down. "Daddies should always be home with their little girls." He murmured, "he obviously doesn't love you."

"Yesss!" Tears formed in her brown eyes. "Does!"

"I can find you a new Daddy and a Mommy, who'll love you and always be with you."

"No! Daddy!" The words scared her and Issie started running, desperate to find her father, the need to curl up in his embrace almost unbearable, "DADDY!"

She fell heavily and the man grabbed her arms, pulling her onto her feet. Hands muffled her screams. They covered her mouth and lifted her. She struggled in a blind panic, calling for her daddy but terror and the man's hands turned her words into soundless gasps. Then they let go, throwing her into the back of a car. The door slammed shut. She stood up on the seat and began battering the window.

"DADDY! DADDY!"

"Shuddup!" The man yelled, "why the hell do they always do that? Hey, Kid, the Farrell's chose you 'specially! Gonna grow up stinkin' rich so quit bawlin'"

Her sobs were drowned out by the sound of the car engine.

*****

Murdock slowly drove the Beetle up the road towards the house. If Face was going to be out with Alice...again...he decided he'd take Isabelle to Captain BellyBusters. The staff adored Issie, and besides the new manageress was lovely.

A car was in front of his house. It pulled away and he saw the figure in the back. A wave of intense terror hit him. "ISSIE!"

He yanked harshly on the steering wheel, turning the car. He stepped on the gas and the Beetle surged forward, closing the gap between him and the BMW that Issie was trapped in.

*****

Briggs swore when he saw the Kid's dad in the car approaching, smiled when he saw the horror on his face as Murdock realised what was happening. The father slued his car round and Briggs chuckled. He was giving chase in a Beetle. Who had a Beetle these days?

"DADDY! DADDY!" The Kid was screaming, "want Daddy!" She could see her father's car following and her panic was palpable.

"For God's sake, SHUDDUP!"

"DADDY! DADDY!" Her screams were hoarse and strangled by sobs. He glanced back at her, she was still pounding on the window, her hands now bruised and spots of blood had begun to form in the nails. He grabbed her dress to pull her back down onto the seat. It was soaking.

"Shit!" 

Her diaper had come loose in the struggle and she'd obviously pissed herself with fear. He wiped his hand on his trouser leg, deciding to leave her standing. So she got a little damaged, that Farrell Bastard would still pay up.

  
*****

Murdock brought the Beetle along side the BMW. Years of experience in the Team had taught him to push aside the initial gut-wrench of terror and shock. Fear was useless, panic was disabling, anger made you powerful. And hate could drive you. Separate the useful emotions and discarded the rest.

Their car windows were side by side. He stared at the evil man who'd taken his child. A thousand scenarios ran through his mind, all those reports he'd heard on the news, the terrible, terrible things men could do to little children for their own gratification. 

In that moment he knew. Knew this man would die.

Knew it would be him who killed him.

He swung the Beetle in front of the BMW. The sound of metal against metal filled his ears, the world narrowed, fading into a dark haze. From a great distance he realised his head had hit the steering wheel; the thought fighting the warmth that spread through him, a drowsiness that tempted him to embrace the darkness.

"DADDY! DADDY!" The screams brought him to. 

Isabelle!

He moved and a pain lanced through his neck. Whiplash, he realised dimly. Despite the discomfort he dragged his body from the car. He stumbled when he stood up, just managing to get his balance. His limbs felt so heavy. 

In the back of his mind he realised the Beetle was wreaked.

__

Oh, Kim…he thought.

*****

Briggs had been stunned by the crash. The crazy bastard! But the gamble had paid off. 

The kid was silent, probably in shock. At least he hoped it was shock and not something worse, Farrell wouldn't be happy. 

He had a feeling that neither would he.

He looked round at the kid; she'd fallen forward on impact into the foot well behind the passenger seat, her face sticky with tears and mucus. As soon as their eyes met, she screamed out again, bawling for her daddy.

He turned back to the wheel and turned the key, hoping the damage to the front of the car wasn't too serious. The engine protested, making a sickening err-ing noise.

The car door flew open and the kid's dad grabbed him. The kid's sobs turned into incoherent gasps and wails at the sight of her father.

*****

"You fucking bastard!" 

Murdock screamed as he pulled the man out of the car, his fists flying, intent on causing pain. His anger spurned him on but narrowed his vision. Couldn't see anything beyond the rage. Briggs got lucky with a right hook, sending Murdock sprawling. Briggs grinned, best thing he'd seen in ages. He couldn't resist the temptation to kick the man in the stomach and chuckled at the groan of pain that produced. Hell, Farrell'd probably give him a bonus for that.

He ran to the BMW and jumped in. He glanced at the kid. She was deathly pale, silent. He turned the key and almost cheered when the ignition caught. He revved the car a moment and watched the kid's dad struggle over to the car. He smiled, met his eyes then stepped on the gas. Murdock's anguished cry echoed in his ears and he laughed.

*****

Murdock heard his own scream as the car drove off. Knew the Beetle was useless. His legs propelled him forward, his long strides covering ground quickly but there was no hope of catching the car.

"ISSIE! ISSIE!" His cries strangled by sobs, "God, Issie!"

Tears streamed down his cheeks. He was gasping for breath, his lungs on fire, but he still ran. Despite the hopelessness, he still ran. Couldn't stop as a wave of panic drove him on and on. He could hear his own screaming of his daughter's name as something not connected to himself. Car horns blared at him as he dodged between the traffic. Eventually his fatigued legs simply gave out and he stumbled, landing hard on the road. He heard tyres squeal. Then silence.

Murdock looked up. A Ford had managed to stop just inches from hitting him.

"Issie." He whispered, then the exhaustion and pain overtook him and he began to sob.

*****

Face pulled away from Alice, breathing heavily. He wanted to grab her and pull her into his room and make love to her. But Issie was outside. Murdock would be back soon and then they'd have all the time they needed. It could wait…

Alice smiled at him.

Couldn't it?

*****

There were people all around him. Too many people. He couldn't breathe. The urge to give in to blind panic was almost overwhelming. He hadn't been able to save her. She'd been screaming his name; he could still hear it, echoing in his mind.

A woman was kneeling at his side, asking if he was injured.

Issie, he tried to say. Please help Issie.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"M-my…baby!" He gasped, "he took my little girl! Tried…. Tried to stop him…crashed…"

"You were in that wrecked Beetle on the twenty-fourth?" This came from a man behind the woman.

Murdock nodded frantically, "please…need to borrow your car." He let out a sob, "my little girl." 

"The police have been called." The woman said, "you need an ambulance."

"NO…Issie!" He struggled to his feet, wincing as he put pressure on his left ankle, which had twisted badly when he fell. He tried to limp after the BMW, knowing it was hopeless. He didn't even know what direction they'd gone in anymore. But he couldn't stay here. Couldn't simply do nothing while some bastard might be robbing his baby of her innocence at that moment. 

The woman held him back. "You need to go to hospital. The police will find your daughter."

Sirens wailed in the distance. Murdock's legs gave out from under him and he collapsed onto the road. He stayed where he fell, rocking himself as tears streamed down his face.

"Issie," he murmured to himself, "Issie, Issie…"

*****

Through the heat of the desire growing in him, a realisation dawned. It was silent. Face pushed Alice away, listening hard. He didn't hear anything. Hadn't heard anything in quite a while.

Issie!

He got up off the sofa and hurried to the back door. He rushed out into the garden. "Issie?"

Nothing. 

SHIT!

The toys in the sandpit and Issie's little ride-on train looked as if they were still in the same position as when he'd gone inside. He'd been gone, what? Five minutes? Ten at the most. Nothing could've happened in that short a time. No, she was hiding. She had to be hiding.

"Issie! This isn't a game, come out!"

There was no telltale giggle.

"Come out now!" Please, he almost added.

Again there was nothing. His heart began racing. 

"Honey?" Alice joined him in the garden 

"Ally, I can't find Isabelle."

"She's probably over at the Peterson's, you know she's got a crush on their youngest boy."

The neighbours! Relief flooded through him. Of course! Issie was one of those children who just made friends everywhere, adults, kids, teenagers, old folk…didn't matter, everyone loved her. She'd gotten bored and wandered over to the Peterson's once before.

"I'll go get her. Murdock should be back soon then we can…"

Alice gave a big grin, "yeah."

He touched her nose as he passed and went to collect Isabelle.

*****

Detective Dave Bowen had never liked the idea of a female partner. Beth Tanner was good cop and a damn fine looking woman, but he'd never settled into the buddyness with her as he had with his male partners. No matter what, he was always reminded she was, well, a she.

But at times like these she was a blessing.

The man sitting in the ambulance being tended by a paramedic was a mess. His body shaking badly with terror and shock and barely contained rage. He was refusing to go to hospital despite some obvious injuries. And every so often he would break down into tears. 

Bowen tried to swallow away the tightness in his throat as he listened to the poor man beg again and again for them to find his baby. He had a child himself, a little boy, and could only begin to guess what the man was going through.

His partner had coaxed some information from him. His name was HM Murdock and as he kept telling them over and over, his daughter had been kidnapped. 

"Do you have a recent photo of Isabelle?" Tanner asked gently.

Murdock reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He opened it and took out a small picture. He handed it to Tanner who, after a quick look, gave it to her partner. Bowen stared at the beautiful blonde haired girl. She had a bright, happy smile and lovely rosy cheeks and the most enormous and unusual brown eyes he'd ever seen. Her dad's eyes, he realised.

"What did the man look like?" He asked.

"Caucasian, brown hair…Issie, I have to find her."

"I know, do you remember anything else about him?"

"Crooked nose…clean-clean shaven." The memory of the man who'd taken his little girl sent a shudder through him. Bowen was about to touch his arm in sympathy but Tanner beat him to it.

"Did you get the license number?" She asked.

Murdock shook his head, "B-BMW…light blue. I have to find-"

"The best thing you can do right now is give us as much information as you can." Tanner said. "We'll put an APB out on that car." She glanced up at Bowen, who nodded once and took the photo and information to the police car to put out the APB. 

"We should probably take you to the General to have that ankle looked at." The paramedic said as he finished cleaning the scratches and bruises Murdock had gained in the fight with the kidnapper. 

"NO!" Murdock said.

Bowen returned to the ambulance, "I called it in. They'll be a complete news blackout on this. Mr Murdock, we'd like to take you down the station to start going through mugshots."

Murdock nodded, "Blackout? Why a blackout, the more people who know…" 

"Standard procedure early on in abduction cases, we don't want to spook…um," he trailed off when he saw the fear in Murdock's eyes. Murdock covered his mouth with his hand, pressing down hard. Bowen wondered if he was going to throw up.

"We'll find her," he promised.

*****

The family was just sitting down to dinner when Face got to the Peterson's. He apologised for the interruption and asked for Isabelle. Fear hit him when they said they hadn't seen her. 

"How long's she been gone?" Len Peterson asked.

"I…ten…ten minutes, I guess." Face stuttered, "she was playing in the garden…"

"C'mon," he said, "I'll help you look."

They walked back out the door and Face gasped. 

__

Oh God, no.

In front of Murdock's house a police car had pulled up.

*****

So many faces. Murdock stared at yet another page full of pictures. Men who fit the rough description he'd given the police of the man he'd seen abducting Isabelle. Pages and pages of photos in countless books. Were there so many evil people out there?

He could see him in his head as clear as if he were standing in front of him. Was he in this book? The next? Had he taken children before? 

And if he wasn't? How would they find him? Would Issie just be another face on a milk carton? 

He had so many questions screaming at him and he couldn't take comfort in fantasy, as he once would have. This was too real. He wanted so much to just give in to sobs, but he couldn't. 

Just as he couldn't cry after Kim died. 

Did that mean he thought she was dead? 

NO!

No she wasn't dead. He'd feel that if she were dead.

_Where are you, Baby?_ He wondered.

*****

Briggs kept a firm grip of the Kid's wrist as he marched her into his office. Her dress was still sopping wet and she stunk of piss, but at least she was quiet now. She hadn't made a sound since she'd seen him kicking her dad on the ground. 

Thank God for that small mercy, he hated the noise the kids always made. One of these days he'd go deaf because of it.

When he got to the office he dumped her onto a chair, wincing at the acrid dampness of her clothes he was forced to touch. Whipping his hands on his jeans, he walked over to the phone. He picked it up and dialled. Someone answered.

"Yes?" The voice on the other end was direct.

"Got ya merchandise, Farrell."

"Briggs." Farrell's voice replied, "you would be wise to address me properly."

Briggs smiled, he could tell the Bastard was just itching to collect his 'item.' That knowledge and the satisfaction he'd got kicking Murdock gave him a sense of power. "Yeah, just bring the money."

"It has not been damaged?"

"No, I take pride in my work."

"We will be there in an hour."

*****

Sargent Collins got out of the patrol car and started to walk up to the house when a man caught him up. His face was pale and Collins could see the fear growing in his eyes.

"This-this is about…it's about Issie, isn't it?"

Collins nodded, "are you Templeton Peck?"

"Yes."

"You were in charge of Isabelle Murdock?"

"Is she...?"

"She's been abducted."

*****

Face felt pain rush through him, worse than any bullet he'd ever taken. Issie. His little Issie.

"Mur-Murdock?" He asked; how the hell was he ever going to explain it to him. How do you tell a father you let someone take his child?

"Mr Murdock is at the precinct, looking through photos of known criminals. He saw the man who took her."

"He was…he was?" 

"He saw the abduction take place, yes. Did you see or hear anything suspicious?"

"N-no."

"Could you accompany us down to the station to make a statement?"

"Yeah…yeah…. There's-there's someone I have to phone first."

*****

Maggie Smith stood watching her husband though the window as he chased a small brown haired boy across the grass. She still couldn't believe it. 

They were a family. 

After all the heartache of the past year as their attempts at IVF failed, it almost didn't seemed real that Josh was here. The adoption of the boy had been so free of incident. They'd both been so worried that their age and John's past would count against them, but the adoption agency had been enlightened in their judgement. They'd seen the love they had to offer and approved them. 

The phone rang and she left the window to answer it.

*****

Hannibal looked back at the house as he heard the phone ring. When it stopped he knew Maggie had answered it. It was probably Murdock. Or maybe Face, since the two of them were raising Isabelle together. 

He smiled, remembering the mess Face had been in when he'd turned up on the doorstep a couple of years back, his friendship with Murdock in tatters. Now he was helping Murdock raise his child. 

He glanced at Josh. Yeah, kids'll do that to you.

"JOHN!"

Maggie came racing out, shock clear on her face.

"What is it?"

"That was Face…Its Issie, she's missing!"

*****

Briggs looked up when the door swung open. Farrell walked in, his wife following behind. 

Isabelle shrunk back into her chair and Briggs expected to hear her bawling again. 

"This is Isabelle Murdock?" Farrell asked and pointed at the shaking baby. 

"I said I'd deliver, Far…Mr Farrell."

"Lisa, is that the one?"

Farrell's wife came forward and peered into the girl's face. "She's the spitting image of Kim."

"I have the adoption papers here." Briggs took a wad of paper out of his desk; "they're quite legal I assure you. But they do come at an extra cost."

"I think you know where you can file them."

Briggs chuckled nervously, "They're kosher, 24 caret. Have your lawyer check 'em if you like but I don't run no shabby business."

"You snatch children for illegal adoptions. Or do you think I honestly believed that crap about poor teenaged girls wanting the best for their bastards?"

"Your-yours was a special case. I don't-"

"Save it for the jury, Briggs. I don't care. I've got what I want. The Syndicate will be grateful."

"Syndicate? I-I thought you were…"

"I loathe children, Mr Briggs."

Briggs glanced at the Kid. 

"What…what do you want her for?"

"She is useful to us as a bargaining chip, what happens to her afterwards is of no consequence."

Briggs licked his lips, knowing he was in well over his head. He'd badly miscalculated. "Maybe, maybe I could have her back?" He said, hoping to gain some of his lost ground. "…For a-for a price, of course, she's a very pretty kiddie, she'd be in demand."

"Perhaps, but first me and my associate here have plans for her." He waved his hand at his 'wife.' Briggs glanced nervously at the woman, who during their previous meeting had been nothing but the weak distressed and unfortunately barren wife desperate for a child. So desperate as to want to buy one and not care where it came from. "I trust there was no complications?"

"Complications?"

"No-one saw you."

"Umm…the dad. Kicked him good though."

Farrell and his 'wife' exchanged glances, "and the police?"

"I…I guess he called them."

"YOU PATHETIC-!"

Briggs cowered but Farrell's companion stepped in. "Oh dear, that is bad isn't it, my darling?" 

Farrell's only reply was to smile coldly at her.

"But we know it couldn't be helped. Now," her eyes turned dark. "About your payment…"

Briggs swallowed. "M-My payment?"

"Yes," Farrell was calm now and he reached into his pocket. "You have done a good job for us, Mr Briggs."

Farrell took something out of his jacket and Briggs turned white with fear.

It was a syringe.

"N-no!"

Briggs backed away but his legs felt like lead.

"Don't tell me you've never tripped before? Where were you in the sixties?" Farrell murmured, "it won't hurt…much. You'll probably like it."

Briggs made a dash for the door but Farrell caught him easily and plunged the hypodermic deep into his flesh.

Briggs screamed. And then the floor came up to meet him and everything became a mass of colour.

Lisa screwed her nose up at the sight. "I never did like that man."

*****


	2. Two

****

Part Two

Murdock hugged himself as he paced the small living area of the victim support unit. This little 'home' had seen much anguish in its life. Rape victims, abused children…. and people like him, parents whose children had been taken. Created to offer the victims a bit of comfort and a measure of respect. The liaison officer with him was a kindly looking pretty woman in her mid-thirties named Jill. She seemed to know what to say, how to act around him, a small thing but he was grateful for it. But then…this was nothing she hadn't seen before.

Isabelle had been missing for over two hours now. 

God, it felt like a year.

The door opened, both he and Jill immediately looked up.

It was Hannibal.

Maggie followed, cradling Josh. The little two-year-old watched everything nervously and clutched at his mother.

He pointed at Murdock and grinned, "Play 'dock?"

Murdock looked up at the boy, a slight smile on his lips that never lit his eyes. He sighed, "not today, Josh." 

His gaze lingered longingly on Josh and Maggie knew how empty his arms where at that moment.

That physical sensation that only another parent could ever understand. God or Whoever had given you arms to hold your children and for no other reason. When they had nothing to hold they felt useless.

Hannibal laid a hand on his shoulder, "has there been any news?"

The sound of his voice, so calm, so familiar brought tears to Murdock's eyes and he pressed a hand to his mouth and started to rock. 

"It's OK, Murdock…it's going to be all right." Hannibal signalled for his wife to leave. Maggie nodded and closed the door behind her. Hannibal glanced at the liaison officer but realised she wasn't going anywhere. "We'll get her back…she'll be OK…"

Murdock continued to rock.

"It's OK, Murdock…we're here, it's OK…let it out…" 

At his soft murmuring, the pilot's body shook even worse until finally he was wracked with deep sobs, just letting the pain and fear come out. He collapsed to the floor, Hannibal holding him all the way down. Then, ever so gently, Hannibal enclosed him in his arms and shh-ed him in a way he hadn't done since Vietnam. The last time he'd done this, Murdock had been found in the jungle, covered in blood, his mind as raped as his body. That had made Hannibal sick to see…. This was so much worse.

Some time passed…neither knew how much only that it seemed like a lifetime. Murdock's sobs had died to the strange little hiccups that children always got after tears.

"How…how'd ya know?"

"Face rang. I thought-"

"Face…" The sudden look of fury and…. HATE in Murdock's eyes made Hannibal gasp. 

"Murdock…?" 

******

Alice touched Face's shoulder, feeling his body trembling through the fabric of his jacket. She'd driven him to the police station, knowing he wasn't in any fit state to drive himself. And now he just sat in the car, unable to get out.

He couldn't face Murdock.

Couldn't bear to see the grief he felt responsible for in his friends' eyes.

She didn't know what to say to him, what to do.

She hated herself for it but a very big part of her just wanted to get as far away from the situation as possible.

"Face, you have to go."

"I can't…"

"You have too!" She told him fiercely, "staying away will only make it worse. Murdock needs you right now."

"It's my fault!"

"It's no one's fault, you have to believe that. You didn't make that man take her."

"But I made it easier for him to take her. I should have been watching her!"

"Face, he needs you!" Alice cried, "I know how much you both love that girl, everyone can see that. You didn't know this was going to happen. It wasn't your fault!" She took a calming breath, "but it will be your fault if you let this come between you and Murdock. He must be so scared, you've got to be there for him. He's your friend."

"A friend whose responsible for-"

"You're not, Face! No one is, please believe that."

******

Hannibal felt a pang of worry, "where is he? What…"

"THE BASTARD! HE WAS SUPPOSED TA BE LOOKING AFTER HER!"

"Face?"

Murdock's body trembled with rage. "How could he let this happen? Why didn't he stop it?" 

Hannibal held the man tighter, desperately seeking some words that would offer comfort. Trying to fight off his own shock at the state Murdock was in.

Nothing. Not even his breakdown in 'Nam had reduced him to such depths.

He shh-ed and rocked and whispered comforts, not knowing if the pilot could hear him, not understanding the torrent of angry, bitter muttering's Murdock made.

The door opened. Hannibal looked up.

It was BA.

And he was followed by a pale-looking Face.

Face and Murdock's eyes met.

And all hell broke loose….

******

Murdock threw himself towards Face, catching the con man in the jaw, sending him sprawling. He went to rain more fists down on him but Hannibal and BA recovered from their initial shock and grabbed him, pulling him away. Face stared up at his friend, a trickle of blood dribbling down his chin.

"Take it easy, man!" BA said as Murdock struggled in his grip.

"Get him out of here!" Murdock yelled, "get that bastard out. I don't wanna see him."

"I-I'm sorry." Tears slipped from Face's eyes as he got to his feet. "I'm so sorry, Murdock."

"Sorry?" He shook his head; "this is beyond sorry. Issie could be dead right now, and if she…" His voice cracked at the thought, "if she is, it'll be because of you!"

"Your think I don't know that? You think it doesn't hurt me almost as much as it's hurting you? Do you?" He demanded, "do you think that I'm not going to blame myself for this until the day I die? Because I am." 

Murdock looked away, sick of the sight of him. Face moved around, forcing the pilot to look at him. "The first steps she took…were into my arms. You know I'd die for her." He pleaded, "we shouldn't be fighting. Issie needs us to be-"

__

"Don't you even say her name!"

Face grabbed him by the shoulder, his anger flaring. "She may be your daughter, but I love her too!"

"THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU LOOK AFTER HER?" He screamed and his legs gave way. Murdock sank down to the floor, sobbing. "Why didn't you look after her…" He whispered between his tears. "Why?"

Hannibal and BA both hugged him as he curled into a foetal ball. His crying came so hard he was no longer making sense. "Where's my baby," he murmured, "I want my baby."

The door opened and the liaison officer entered with a man they didn't recognise. He immediately went to Murdock and checked him over.

"He's a doc." Jill explained. "Thought he might be needed so I called him in. Looks like I was right."

The doctor took out a syringe and glanced briefly at the Team. "He's not allergic to anything?" 

Hannibal shook his head and the doctor gently injected a sedative into Murdock. After a few moments, his sobbing eased and his body became limp.

Jill sighed. "He can sleep on the sofa. I'll get a blanket." 

They laid him down, watching his feeble attempts to stay conscious as the drug filtered through his system. Hannibal soothed his brow the way he would soothe Josh when he was sick. A weak hand gripped his wrist. Murdock forced his eyes open to look up at his colonel.

"Find my baby…" he whispered as sleep overtook him, "please find her…"

******

"I didn't plan on the police being involved in this." Farrell said as Lisa marched the Kid into the house. "That fool Briggs was an amateur I should never have used. If you want a job done properly…"

"Briggs knew the score, darling, and why muddy your own hands when there's always someone to do it for you."

"The police maybe a bunch of idiots but we don't need there meddling, I've waited to long already."

Farrell stared at the kid. She hadn't murmured when they'd forced her to go with them, hadn't murmured even when they'd killed that man. Her eyes held no sadness, no tears. Just calm acceptance that her world had turned crazy.

"She's so much like her mother." Lisa smiled.

Farrell frowned. Lisa Shaw was quite a woman, wild in bed and a crack shot. Nothing fazed her and in her 'association' with Farrell she seen quite a bit. She was a hard bitch, just the kind of woman he wanted on his side. And she was a bloody good actress. The way she'd handled Briggs… 

But just recently Lisa's behaviour had sparked off alarm bells.

"Mmm, Emma was never afraid of me either." 

"SHE DID!" Lisa snapped and then she smiled, "I'm sure she did. And I meant she looks so much like Emma." 

"Yes…" Farrell said distantly, "I'm looking forward to seeing her again."

"How are you going to contact this Murdock?"

Farrell frowned, the way she said that name…

"I don't. We go to plan B."

Lisa frowned, "which is?"

"The commish owes me a favour. I think I'll call it in."

*****

He was in The Corridor. He knew it well but it had been a long time since he'd been here. It hadn't changed much in the years he'd been gone form here. But then it wouldn't, would it? 

It wasn't real. Couldn't be redecorated. Fantasies didn't get dusty or rundown.

Why was he here? He was sane now; there was no longer any need for the corridor.

__

You're dreaming.

The realisation came with relief. He was simply remembering. Recreating Richter's hypnotic corridor as he slept. 

Richter always said he was safe here. He could go forward or back, wander through the doors into memories or nightmares…

Mostly, they went hand in hand in his life, of course.

But either way, what ever he did in this corridor, it was his choice.

He was in control

"Hey, flyboy." The blonde woman who appeared at his side had haunted his dreams every night since they'd met. Every day had seemed empty since she died. If it hadn't been for Issie…

He would've died himself.

Murdock reached out to her and brushed a lock of silky blonde behind her ear. It wasn't real, it was a dream…"I've missed you." He murmured and kissed her deeply. She moulded her body to his, the sensation more real than any dream he's ever had.

"I've missed you too," she whispered into his mouth.

After an eternity she broke away. He noticed she was crying. "Find our baby, Murdock, please?"

Issie! How could he have forgotten?

"I-I will."

"Bring her back safe, promise me?" She hugged him fiercely, "promise me? She's so scared, Murdock, I can feel it."

"I know," he closed his eyes, leaning into the embrace, sensing the fear he knew came from Isabelle, "I can feel it too."

The body in his arms changed. Grew a little taller and was thicker around the waist. The breasts were smaller too, the hair shorter and courser.

He pulled back and stared into the face of a Vietnamese girl. He screamed.

*****

Face stared down at Murdock as he slept, his chest rising and falling heavily under the effects of the drugs. He was clutching at the pillow as if it were a shield from harm, looking like a child and Face had a sudden image of him lying on another sofa, bleeding from gunshot wound. That was years ago, when they'd been on the run, but it still hurt to think how close they'd…he'd come to losing him. 

Face brushed back a lock of light brown hair from Murdock's forehead, his fingers lingering on his friend's skin. They'd had some good times together during their long friendship…and some bad times. The harsh realities of the army and of war, the hell of the VC camps, the torture, the rapes and women…

Women like Kim.

But nothing like this.

He loved the Team. They were Family. His family. He trusted them without question and beyond all doubt. But especially Murdock…

Always Murdock.

He'd invited him into his home and shared his daughter with him. And this is how he was repaid.

"Lieutenant?"

Face looked up. Hannibal stood at the door and he glanced briefly at the captain.

"He's fine…" Face said quietly, "at least, he will be if…when they find Issie."

"C'mon."

"Hannibal, I'm not-"

"Stow it, Face, BA's rigged a CB in the van so we can listen in on the search."

"I am not gonna leave-"

"Work through your guilt another time, Lieutenant." The colonel ordered sharply, "you really trust the cops to find her?"

Face looked away.

"That's what I thought." Hannibal said, "there's a whole buncha scumballs out there we put away. One've 'em mighta recognised Murdock or you and took her."

Face nodded, he'd thought of that as well. 

"It was the Syndicate."

Face and Hannibal turned towards the speaker. There in the doorway stood Amy Allen.

"Amy!" 

"How do you know that?" Hannibal was all business. It wasn't that he wasn't pleased to see her but there was another time for this.

"Coded message to the paper. They must've known we worked together."

"What do they want?"

Amy looked at Murdock and then at Face. "Kim, they want Kim."

*****

"K-Kim's…." Face began shaking; "she's dead…I…I was…"

Hannibal gripped his arm, "Yeah…"

"I know, and that's what I told my editor but the Syndicate seem to believe she's still alive somewhere. They want to do a swap. Kim for Issie." 

"Hannibal, we've gone up against a few people connected to those guys." Face pointed out.

"So why aren't they asking for one or all of us? Why Kim? She's dead and when you and Murdock knew her we weren't taking cases. For anyone. Face, did she ever mention the Syndicate?"

"No," Face replied, "Hannibal, you didn't know her very well but she wasn't the kind of person who'd get mixed up with criminals."

"Despite the fact she knew you and was practically married to Murdock?"

"That's different…Hannibal, if she hadn't been in the first grade when the War broke out she'd been one of the protestors. That was who she was. She wouldn't've got mixed up with the Syndicate."

"People don't always chose these things, Face. What about her family?"

"She didn't have any, not as far as I know. Murdock might, but neither of them ever mentioned Kim's family. No one like that came to the funeral, it was just friends. And, besides, Tailor isn't a Syndicate name."

"Hey, man," said BA, walking in the room, "quit the jibber-jabber, if they got ma princess we gotta get goin'. Ahm gonna teach them sucka's a lesson."

"Get the van warmed up, Sargent." He looked at Amy, "when is the swap supposed to take place?"

"At two p.m. tomorrow."

"That gives us some time to get in the first punch."

"Hannibal we can't leave Murdock alone! I'M not gonna leave him alone!"

"Face…"

"You saw what he was like."

"You wanna help Murdock? Get his daughter back! Or don't you wanna get Isabelle, Lieutenant?" 

"You know I do! I love that girl like she was my own! I couldn't love anyone more! But Murdock…"

"…Will be fine, with me." Amy said, "Face, go…it's what Murdock would've wanted."

*****

He tried to wake up. Couldn't pull himself out of the dream. No, he couldn't go through this again. This dream, this memory of that girl, it had stopped long ago. Why was she back?

Issie! He had to wake up to find Isabelle. 

"Its OK, HM. "

She spoke to him in Vietnamese. A language he'd not heard in years, in not long enough. A language she herself had taught him under the unrelenting heat of a Da Nang sun. How long had it been since he'd seen her?

It wasn't OK. He couldn't wake up. 

*****

The police radio chattered in the background, giving out mindless reports. Several robberies, a hostage situation, a desperate woman threatening to jump from a bridge. Nothing about the abduction.

Face chucked down his gun, "Hannibal, we can't go in there."

Hannibal ignored him and continued cleaning his rifle.

"I said we can't go in there!"

Still he received no response. "Can you hear what I'm saying Hannibal?"

"I hear you loud and clear, Face, just don't agree with you."

"One…we're no longer on the run, we're not above the law any more. Two…we don't know where they are and three…if we go in there, they'll kill her!"

"Face is right, man, we can't take that chance."

"The moment they relies Kim is dead, she'll be useless to them. Do you honestly believe that they'll just let her go? Getting her out quickly is the only way. And Amy is on the phone to her sources. She'll find out the best place for us to hit the Syndicate."

"#…At the Green Fields Adoption agency, please respond. #"

Hannibal's head snapped up and he shot forward and turned up the CB. The voice then repeated for the officer who took the call. Someone had been found dead at the adoption agency where he and Maggie had found Josh. Possible OD.

"What is it, Hannibal?"

Hannibal felt his gut twist with sudden intuition. It was connected to Issie. He could feel it.

And that realisation was quickly followed by fear. He suddenly knew almost everything that Murdock was going through.

__

Josh…


	3. Three

***3*** ****

***3***

Hannibal seemed distracted by something and she noticed both Face and BA giving him the same unsure look she knew she was giving.

No not the same. They were concerned by his sudden black mood; she had other things to worry about. 

A decision to make. 

Amy Allen chewed nervously on her lip as she watched Hannibal and the guys prepare their weapons. She trusted them with her life, had trusted them on many occasions, but she didn't trust the Syndicate. And she didn't dare risk Issie's life. Not for anyone, even the team. 

The coded message she'd received had been carefully worded, asking for Isabelle's mother to go to the front of the Grand Hotel at 2pm. Issie would be released to The Sisters of St Claire's shortly afterwards. Amy was to pass this on to her old friend HM Murdock and neither of them was to contact the police or the Team. 

Her editor, Steve, had told her to stick close. He smelled an exclusive and despite her anger that Murdock's pain and anguish would be exploited, she also knew she'd not had a decent scoop in months. Or, in years, in fact.

But that was not all the note said, there was one last thing…. 

Something she didn't dare tell Hannibal.

Did she?

"Well, Kid?" 

Amy jumped at Hannibal's voice.

"Your source find out where these scumballs keep their front door?"

Amy met the colonel's eyes. To be or not to be…

She took a deep breath and nodded, holding out a piece of paper. "This is the address of Carlos Farrell. Word on the street is he runs the LA arm of the Syndicate."

Hannibal snatched it away. "Saddle up, guys, we're gonna pay this bastard a visit."

******

Face glanced over to the empty seat beside his as the van rolled towards the Farrell's home. It had scared him to see Murdock so out of control. He'd seen the pilot at rock bottom in his life, seen the breakdown of his sanity and the terrible toll the VC had taken on his soul.

But nothing compared to the sheer panic he descended into. Or the force of the anger he'd thrown at Face.

Anger he knew he deserved. Why hadn't he been watching her? How hard would it have been to sit with her in the garden until Murdock came back? Alice could have waited, would have waited. She understood about his relationship with Murdock and his daughter, more than he gave her credit for. Hannibal read his and BA's thoughts. "We'll be her back, guys."

"Man, if they hurt her-"

"Yeah, Hannibal, the Syndicate isn't exactly known for their tender mercies."

"Nothing will happen if we keep our mind on our jobs." Hannibal warned. "I know how worried you both are but we have to stay focused." He met their eyes, one at a time. 

They both nodded and Hannibal smiled. They were good soldiers.

*****

The sound of machine gun fire surrounded them and the corridor melted into jungle. He could feel the rough sweat-drenched flight uniform he was now wearing, smell the acrid scent of burning houses and burning flesh.

"Get down! " He yelled to her, pulling her to the ground. She was about to pay a high price for selling VC secrets. Secrets she'd trusted him with, told him because she thought he'd protect her.

Protect her…that was a joke.

His chopper was down, the Team would be returning to the landing zone to find no rescue. He could only hope that his last message had got through and another chopper would be there to greet them. And him. Couldn't take another spell in the Hanoi Hilton. Not without the guys, he'd almost surrendered to death before but they'd pulled him back for the brink. He wouldn't be able to do that alone.

He crawled on his belly, half dragging her behind him, to the relative safety of the river. The water was filthy and stank of urine, faeces, both human and animal, and of old blood. Probably connected to the VC camp the Team was raiding. He prayed they'd got out OK…. unlike him.

The girl was shaking at his side; her hair dripping with the foul water she'd fallen in. Her eyes were clouded, she knew her time was up. He'd seen that look to many times, too many fucking times, on the face of soldiers to young to vote or drink in a bar.

But deemed old enough for war by rich politicians who would never step into the battle themselves.

"I'm sorry. " He told her.

Bu he knew what would happen. What had happened and had kept on happening for thousands of night afterwards, the nightmares plaguing him whenever he closed his eyes.

"HM, there behind us. "

Murdock nodded, gripping his gun. Maybe this time would be different, maybe this time he could save her. Another round of gunfire sounded, like thunder on a summer's day. Something hit his thigh; he looked down to see a dark stain spreading. The pain hit him a split-second later.

The girl gasped at the blood; "can you run? They're closing in. If we don't go now, they'll have cut us off."

"Yes, but I'll slow you down. Go! I'll cover you."

"NO! I'm dead anyway, the VC have seen me. I'm marked."

"I said GO!"

She stood up, the filthy water sposhing around her waist. "GETUP!" She pulled him to his feet. Murdock bit his lip hard to keep from screaming out at the agony of it.

A round of fire rang out and her body danced as a hail of bullets hit her, spraying blood over his face and chest.

He screamed.

*****

"Murdock! Murdock, wake up!"

His eyes snapped open and for a moment he saw Kim leaning over him, rousing him for the nightmare as she had so many times. He gripped her tightly, breathing heavily.

"It's Ok, it was just a dream." She said. The voice wasn't Kim's and a wave of grief washed over him.

__

Isabelle!

The terror shot through him as he remembered and he pulled away. He climbed off the sofa and was half way across the room when he realised who he had been hugging.

"Amy!"

Amy Allen smiled, her face tired and care-worn, "It's good to see you too."

He quickly moved across to her and embraced her. "I've missed you." He whispered and meant it more than he could ever express.

"Murdock I'm so sorry about Isabelle." She touched his arm; "we'll get her back. The guys are following a lead right now."

"They-they know where she is?"

Amy looked away, obviously unsure.

"Do they?"

She didn't agree with Hannibal on many things but even after all these years she still looked upon him as their leader. Betraying him was hard, even if it was for Isabelle.

"Tell me where she is!" He grabbed her wrist and forced her to look at him. He saw a flash of fear in her eyes and let go, "I'm sorry…please, she's my life."

"The paper received coded message from the Syndicate. That's why I came, to deliver it…to you."

"And you told the Team instead?"

She nodded.

"She is MY daughter, if Hannibal has one of his plans…they could get her killed!"

"You have to trust them, Murdock!"

"I just wan' her back…" He looked into her eyes, "what did the message say?" 

"They want to trade her."

"For the Team?"

She shook her head. "For Kim."

*****

Sargent Reid curled his lip in disgust at the corpse in front of him. The joyful leer frozen on his face as the pure uncut heroin had stopped his heart. And his arms flayed as he'd writhed in fantasy. The MD and forensic were crouching over him, picking over the corpse like a pair of vultures.

Not that Briggs deserved the sympathy. He was being investigated for illegal adoptions but no evidence had yet been found to charge him. Now this place was a crime scene they could rifle through his things to their hearts delight. It was just a shame that in his need for a high he'd found a way to escape justice.

The forensic stood up. Reid came forward. "Well? Just another Junkie?"

He shook his head, "there are no needle marks on his arms or nasal damage from inhaling, this was either his first trip or…"

"Or?"

"You'll have to wait for the post mortem but, professional hunch…I'd say he was murdered."

"Made to look like an OD?"

The forensic nodded.

"Sir?"

Reid turned to the uniform that called him. The Officer, a boy really, held out a bracelet. "Found this, sir…"

Reid took the bracelet, a thin chain of gold with a smooth section for a name. He held it up to the light. Elegantly engraved was a word.

__

Isabelle.

"Ain't that the name of that kid that was snatched, sir?"

"Yeah…and this guy fits the description her father gave us. And he was murdered."

*****

"Kim's…"

Amy touched his arm, "I know."

"Why-why do they want her? She's not connected to the Team." He asked, "even if she wasn't…"

"That's why I had to tell them, Murdock. When the Syndicate realise Kim is dead, they'll…The team are the best hope to get them back. You know that!" 

"And I should be with 'em!" Murdock kicked the sofa, knowing she was right. Amy looked away. He saw the quick flash of indecision in her eyes. She could hide things from the rest of the team, but not from him. They'd shared too much.

"That ain't all, is it? They want something else?" He guessed. "Someone else?"

She nodded, still avoiding his face.

"Me?" He took her by the shoulders and turned her to look at him. "They guys don't know that, do they?"

"No, I didn't dare tell them. Hannibal would've come up with one of his plans and maybe gotten Issie killed." She bit her lip, "And you as well."

Murdock smiled and closed his eyes a moment. When he opened them, she saw a hard light in the brown she'd never seen before. It scared her. 

"Good." He said, "Tell me everything that message said."

******

Farrell gazed down on the Kid as she slept. Lisa had dressed her in one of her shirts and was tucking her into the middle of a large guestbed. She'd fallen asleep on the sofa a couple of hours ago out of sheer exhaustion. She was so much like Emma. He remembered her mother from the trial, a beautiful girl not long out of her teens. Her eyes defiant in the face of Syndicate threats. Despite the fact she'd been almost solely responsible for the conviction of his uncle, he'd admired her spirit. She wasn't afraid of anyone. He was going to enjoy watching her die. 

How long would it take to hear her beg for mercy? Just how brave would she be?

The door opened and one of his goons walked in. It was Harry, that dumb arse never knocked.

"Sir? It's the Batphone."

"The Batphone?" Lisa said, and Farrell was surprised at the note of tension in her voice.

"I'm sorry, my dear, I know you didn't want me to call him…"

"He'll lie!"

"Not with the amount he owes the Syndicate." Farrell replied, "I agree Hunter's usefulness will be wasted, I would have preferred to use him for something a bit more important than this, but with the police presents in the area, searching for the Kid, we'll need him. And there's the A team to consider. I know they're no longer active but they're a complication we could do without. We need to find this Kim quickly. He can do it." 

Farrell noticed she didn't share his joy.

"We've come this far without him." 

Farrell frowned at her. He'd never seen her so…unnerved. Maybe she was suffering from a bout of maternal instincts. No, it was more than that…

There was no time to ponder this, though, that idiot Hunter had answers waiting.

*****

Agent Lyle Hunter watched his knuckles turn white as he gripped the file in front of him. He knew that his other hand was the same colour as he gripped the receiver to his ear, waiting to hear Farrell distinctive gallows humoured tone. He glanced at the death shot paper-clipped to the file.

Kimberly Ellen Tailor…RIP.

Farrell would not be pleased. 

He hated himself for being Farrell's lapdog, but his love of gambling had spiralled him deeper and deeper into dept. He owed hundreds of thousands to casino…they were Syndicate Casino's he'd later discovered. And Farrell didn't want payment in money, even if he'd have had that amount to give. Farrell had wanted favours.

Like the FBI records on the Witness Protection deals made between them and lawyers working for Emma Bailey. 

Who in 1985, had become Kim Tailor. She'd just been in the wrong place at the wrong time and stumbled upon a Syndicate boss as he blew away a rival. Farrell's uncle went to the chair, murder one.

Emma Bailey ceased to exist and Kimberly Tailor was born.

And Kim Tailor had died in '91. She hadn't, as Farrell thought, entered the programme a second time to prevent the Syndicate finding her. 

"Yes?" Farrell's voice sounded over the phone. "You have the file?"

Hunter closed his eyes and took a steadying breath. "Yes. It's here."

"Excellent. Where is that malicious bitch hiding this time?"

"It…it's a closed file. She's dead."

The noise Farrell made down the phone turned Hunter's stomach.

"I can bring you the death shot," he heard himself saying quickly, "you can see. She's dead. The car made quite a mess of her face."

"This is some kind of trick! I'm warning you, Hunter. I know where your wife works. She has such a pretty face, it'd be a shame if someone threw acid in it."

"You stay the fuck away from my wife!"

"And your kids, I know where they go to school."

"You sick bastard. I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH!"

Farrell's voice was suddenly calm. "Really?" He sounded thoughtful; "my runner will meet you in the usual place. Bring the file."

"Just-just the photo, I-I can't take the file from-"

"You WILL bring the file, Mr Hunter."

"But if someone-"

"That is your problem. Just bring the file."

Hunter put down the phone. His job was forfeit now.

He just hoped the same couldn't be said for his life. 

*****

Lisa tried to stay calm. Perhaps that Federal Bastard really would lie. Maybe, to save his own neck, he'd concoct some alias for Kim. Say she was in Alaska or something…

It was all going wrong. It was meant to take longer before Farrell discovered the truth than this. What would he do to Issie if he realised Kim really was dead?

She glanced at the baby sleeping in the bed. Farrell was an evil man but harming children…

Surely such an act was beyond him?

But his hatred of Emma ran deep; he might think nothing of taking his anger out on her child.

No, no, it was too horrible to contemplate…but he wasn't likely to just let her go.

She glanced at the clock. Three more hours and she had to go to the meeting place. She had planned to leave the child here but she could no longer trust Farrell not to harm her in that time.

It would be harder to get everything in order with a child in tow, even harder when her face was splashed over the news and anyone could recognise her.

But they had to get out of there.

It was now or never. 

"Isabelle? Wake up." She shook the child, "c'mon, Auntie Lisa wants to take you on a little car ride."

The baby moaned as she opened her eyes. Fear filled her face when she realised who was there. She shrunk away from Lisa, a little whimper escaping from her lips. The only sound Lisa had heard her make.

She hurried down the stairs to the front door, glancing nervously around, terrified of being seen. 

As she reached the bottom, Farrell came out of the study.

"And here the little orphan is." He said. 

Lisa put the child down, her heart racing, trying to look casual and hide the sudden fear she felt. She didn't know what to do now. 

Farrell walked towards the little girl slowly; staring at Issie the way a cat watches its prey. "Did your daddy ever read the bible to you, little orphan? There's a line in there, let the sins of the father be visited upon their sons." Farrell's face broke into a smile, "and presumably the sins of the mother are visited on their daughters." Each footstep was bringing him closer to the terrified baby. "And your mommy was a very bad woman…"


End file.
